This undoubtedly testifies to the enormous moral force we possess. The Baltic states, our nearest neighbors, understand that we alone have no intentions whatsoever threatening their independence and well-being.

And what of Russia's internal situation?

It is critical, but has good prospects. By spring, the food shortage will be overcome, at least sufficiently to deliver the urban population from hunger. Then there will be adequate fuel as well. Thanks to the astonishing feats of the Red Army, the restoration of the national economy has already begun. At present, part of this army has been converted into labor armies; this extraordinary phenomenon became possible only in a country fighting for a lofty ideal. Of course, this would be impossible in capitalist countries. In the past we sacrificed everything to achieve victory over our armed opponents, and now we shall direct all our efforts toward economic restoration. This will require years, but in the end we shall be victorious.

When, in your opinion, will the construction of communism in Russia be completed? I thought the question would be difficult, but Lenin answered immediately.

We intend to electrify our entire industrial system by creating power stations in the Urals and elsewhere. Our engineers tell us this will require ten years. The completion of electrification will be the first important step along the path toward the communist organization of economic life in society. All our industry will receive energy from a common source, capable of supplying all its branches equally. This will eliminate unproductive competition in the search for fuel and will create a solid economic foundation for manufacturing enterprises, without which we cannot hope to achieve such a level of exchange of essential products as would correspond to the principles of communism.

We assume, incidentally, that within three years there will be burning in Russia 50,000,000 incandescent lamps. As I understand it, the United States has 70,000,000 such lamps, but for a country where electricity is still in its infancy, more than two-thirds of this quantity is an enormous achievement. In my view, electrification is the most important of all the great tasks confronting us.